Portable writing shelf



March 13, 1928.

W. C( BENNETT PORTABLE WRITING SHELF Filed Oct. 7, 1925 Patna Mar. 1:, 1928.

UNITED STATES i wnmnur C. BENNETT, 0]! WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PORTABLE WRITING SHELF. I

Application filed October 7, 1925. Serial No.-61,041.

This invention relates to an improved portable writing shelf especially designed for use in connection with file cabinets, and seeks, among other objects, to provide a' neat and eflicient shelf which may be attached to the front wall of a cabinet drawer for conveniently supporting a pad or the like at the front of the drawer, so that, in making notes from the files or cards contained in the drawer, one hand may be used to write upon the pad while the other hand is employed in separating the cards or files of the drawer.

The invention seeks, as a. further object, to provide a shelf which may be easily and quickly applied or removed and WlllCll, when applied, will extend forwardly from the drawer above the front wall thereof so that said wall will not hinder a full vision of the tablet on the shelf or, by reason of the proximity of'said wall, hinder the operation of writing on the tablet.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a shelf which may be readily stamped as an entirety from a single sheet of metal and which will be so fashioned that rigidity will be obtained. 0

Other objects of the invention not specifically mentioned in the foregoing will appear as the description proceeds.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved shelf applied to a drawer of a conventional file cabinet, and illustrating a tablet in position on the shelf,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view par ticularly showing the arms of the shelf and the lugs on the tablet for engagement with the body plate of the shelf.

In carrying the invention into effect, I preferably stamp the shelf from a piece of suitable resilient sheet metal. An oblong body plate 10 is produced and this plate 1s bent transversely near its forward end to provide a down turned anchorin flange 11 extending at substantially a rig it angle to the plate. Struck downwardly from the plate at a suitable distance in the rear of said flange is a pair of bracket arms 12, the flat side faces of which are presented longitudinally of the plate. In thus producin the arms so that their sides lie longitudinally of the body plate, rigidity is obtained for withstanding stress tending to bend the ,arms rearwardly and by forming the arms relatively wide, as in the instance illustrated, correspondingly wide junctions between the arms and the body plate are had so that reenforcement of the arms against rearward stress is unnecessary. As shown in Figure 3, the forward and rear edges of the arms are disposed at substantially a right angle to the plane of the body plate, the arms being preferably of uniform width, and since said arms are struck from the plate, a pair of like alined transversely extending openings 13 is formed in the plate near its forward end. However, as shown in Figure 1, the inner ends of said openings are spaced apart so that an intervening reenforeing web 14 remains for bracing the forward end portion of the body plate between said openings as well as bracing the connection between the forward end of the plate and the rear portion thereof.

In conjunction with the shelf, a tablet 15 of the character shown may be used. This tablet is provided with a stiffened back 16 of cardboard or the like, which, as shown in Figure 4 is out along parallel lines from each of the side edges thereof to form relatively short longitudinally extending lugs 17 fold ed down to lie at right angles to the back. As will be observed, the lugs lie close to the upper end of the tablet so that when the tablet is positioned upon the body plate 10 of the shelf, as shown in Figure 1, said lugs may, as best seen in Figure 2, be passed through the openings 13 of said plate at the outer ends thereof for anchoring the tablet upon the shelf. Slipping of the tablet will thus be prevented, wlnle, however, the tablet may be readily applied or removed and, as shown in Figure 3, the lugs 17 are of a length closely approaching the width of the openings 13 so that said lugs will cooperate with the side edges of said 0 enings for limiting the tablet against ihngitudinal movement.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have shown the manner in which the shelf is used. A conventional file cabinet is indicated at 18, one of the drawers thereof at 19 and the front wall of said drawer at 20. After the drawer has been opened, the flange ll of the shelf is, as particularly seen in Figure 3, engaged over the upper edge of the front wall 20 of the drawer to bear against the inner face of said wall, when the arms 12 will thus be disposed to extend downwardly at the front face of the wall to coact at their forward edges therewith for rigidly supporting the body plate 10 of the shelf to project horizontally from the drawer. Thus, the device may be readily applied and, as will be erceived, may be as easily removed and, if deemed necessary, the forward edges of the arms 12 may be suitably padded to avoid possible injury to the outer surface of the front wall of the drawer. Preferably, the flange 11 is so spaced with respect to the forward edges of the arms 12 that the upper margin of the front wall of the drawer is grip ed between said flange and the arms. In t is way, vibration of the shelf is prevented while also, the shelf is frietionally held against displacement. However, the shelf will retain its position on the drawer in the absenceof the gripping action mentioned and to adapt the device for general use, the flange 11 may be spaced quite a distance forwardly with respect to the front edges of the arms 12 to accommodate different thicknesses therebetween. Having applied the shelf, the tablet 15 will then be rigidly supported thereby at the front of the drawer so that, as will be seen, one hand may be em loyed for writing upon the pad while the other hand may be employed for separating the files or cards contained in the drawer. The device will thus prove very convenient in use and will materially facilitate the task of taking notes from data contained on the files or cards in the drawer.

If found desirable, the anchoring flange l1 may be arranged to extend obliquely with respect to the body plate 10 and the forward edges of the arms 12 formed to extend substantially parallel to the plane of said flange, so that when the device is a )plied to a drawer in the manner previously described, the body plate will be supported to extend in a downwardly inclined position with respect to the front wall of the drawer.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described ('0lll prising a body plate having spaced openings therein and provided with means for detachably connecting the shelf with an object, and a pad support adapted to rest upon the body plate and provided with dtm'n-turned lugs to extend through said openings and anchor the pad support upon said plate.

2. A portable shelf including a body )late having tongues struck transversely therefrom adjacent one end and bent downwardly to form spaced openings and depending abutments adapted to engage the front. face of a support, the end of the plate adjacent said tongue being provided with :1 depending flange to engage the opposite face of the support with the plate resting upon the upper face of the support, and a pad carrier resting upon the upper face of said plate and pro vided with depending arms extending through the openings formed in the plate by said tongues and engaging said tongues whereby said carrier may be held against sliding upon said plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM C. BENNETT. [1 8.] 

